Saturday, April 1, 2017

March Flying Carpet 2017

In March
The Flying Carpet inspires you
to a celebration
of the work of inquiry and imagination
in this current phase of repression and squelch 
“Science tells us what the world is
but art is able to frame
how we feel and think about it.
They certainly share the same enemies...
the agents of
ignorance superstition and prejudice.”
-- Mark Dion*
Science and art intersect in
The Cabinet of Curiosities**
or as Lawrence Weschler calls it,
" a complete debauch of marvel"

When The Flying Carpet saw
a stuffed alligator
hanging from the ceiling of room one
of Gigi Bon's studio in Venice
and started a conversation about
Cabinets of Wonder
an invitation to her inner sanctum followed

 
The Curiosity Cabinet transformed itself into
Natural History Museums
Art Museums
and Museums of Everything Imaginable***
 
Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia
the dust covered archives of world exploration
when Venice was Queen of the Seas

 
Period Rooms
The Museu da Farmácia in Lisbon, Portugal
 
The Collector's Hut
Brooklyn Botanical Garden
The Artist's Studio

One could could use the term “pilgrimage”
in the presence of :
the painting desk of Freda Kahlo
in Mexico City at La Casa Azul
 

 Atelier Brancusi in Paris***** 



Kawaii Kanjiro's studio in Kyoto
Shuren Sakurai
revered Noh Mask Carver
in his home and  studio
Nanzen-ji Temple, Kyoto

 
Do not become dispirited or immobilized... 
This is dedicated especially to dear friend Dana
and also all the creatives
who must persevere in this time 

*From field guide to Dr. Fairchild Kampong laboratory... 
**the Cabinet de Curiosités
 de Joseph Bonnier de La Mosson,
  a part of what was once
  the most celebrated curiosity cabinet
  of 18th century Paris
  which the Flying Carpet saw and photographed at the
   médiathèque of the
   Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris

 
***www.atlasobscura.com

**** “the notion of transforming space  
 
from a didactic taxonomic exhibit of objects
 into an environment 
which contextualizes elements” --- Mark Dion
From field guide to Dr. Fairchild Kampong laboratory...
see also: Marvelous Museum 
Orphans Curiosities and Treasures
*****In his will, Brancusi bequeathed his entire studio
to the French state.
An exact reconstruction of this was made in 1997
on the piazza opposite the Centre Pompidou.

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

February Flying Carpet 2017

In February,
the Flying Carpet
brings “Love in the Time of Sociopathy”
to an imagination near you...

Some of the characters are particularly fascinating
in their Valentine Fascinators
created during the 39th annual Valentine-a-thon

Arachnia of the Night Kitchen
drank tea


...while King Baudhuin The Magnificent observed


Our Lady of the Pajamas
in the Valentine Bed Head creation


dished with Miz Amoretto
bejeweled but not yet chapeud
 

while Anita Lolita del Tango
looked on with her Spectacular Specs


Marlena
was not alone


but a bit windswept
sitting next to
The Mad Hatter who exclaimed,
“I’m late... I’m late
for a very important date...”
or was it the white rabbit?



Bird Watchers Anonymous
were taking it one smile at a time



Flapper Maggie
roared like a 20 something


While Resplendent Rhae
encouraged us all to get a grip


Valentina Grouchette
attempted to exhume the creative and hilarious
from the depths of the gravity of our time


Regrettably
other participants could not be captured by the
aggressive and energetic paparazzi...

but special thanks to Donna Cartier for capturing
the decisive moments of photos #10, 11, & 12


Tuesday, January 31, 2017

January Flying Carpet 2017

In January the Flying Carpet
did loop-de-loops all over Coconut Grove and Miami...
a visit to a singular sister 
on a significant birthday...



Fairchild Gardens and The Kampong...
The gardens and home of David Fairchild
world traveler, plant collector, 
scientist, educator

alarmingly beautiful palm tree bark
illuminated manuscripts




a riot of exuberant plants
filling the air and the water with life


Dr Fairchild’s Laboratory...
a reconstruction/ installation 
by artist Mark Dion...
remembering Fairchild's desk
with his coco de mer
so many years ago... 
a lasting inspiration...
 

The Wynwood Walls
“"Since its inception, 
the Wynwood Walls program
has seen over 50 artists
representing 16 countries
and have covered 
over 80,000 square feet of walls."”

“"Art should comfort the disturbed
and disturb the comfortable."
--” Banksky
 

A wonderous installation 
by Juio Le Parc
at the Perez Museum

moving mirrors of shadows and light
Through the Looking Glass
 

Special thanks to Bill
 

Louise
 


 and especially Henry



and Karen
who turned herself into the heroine
of a noir movie at The Biltmore




Saturday, December 31, 2016

December Flying Carpet 2016

In December the Flying Carpet
Spiraled  into memory of 
My Blue Heaven
Indigo Japan

At Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa
gardeners  installed poles
 
to keep the heavy snow
from breaking the tree branches


On Teshima Island
the spiders had done an installation for
the Setouchi  Triennale  2016


We arrived at Koya-san Buddhist Monastery
at sunset
A monk rang the huge temple bell...
the air vibrated...
the maple leaves shook

Walking amongst
the ancient cryptomeria trees
and the monuments
of the Okuno-in cemetery...
in the light drizzle...
the glowing moss...
the pilgrims


Daitoku-ji Temple... Kyoto...
Maeda Sensei tells us,
“The way I show gratefulness
is taking a deep breath.”


Koto-in temple...
the blessing of rain...


the blessing of simplicity...


Yoshio Mori in Yasu
Indigo dyer in my indigo heaven


Kurama Temple...
the Jizo gaze benevolently
at travelers and children
and those in transitional times


and the world can transform into
a Japanese print before your eyes


Special thanks to Ritsuko and Susan
my dear Japan sisters